


The Pirate King: TGS Pirate AU

by overlycompensatedapprentice



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies), The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Apparently Phillip Can't stop getting kidnapped, Jenny's a snake sorry, Kidnapping, Other, There's some family feels, because i live for that, i draw inspiration from it tho, mentions of assault, more protective dad! pt, pirates!, sorry bb, this is VERY LOOSELY based off pirates of the caribbean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-03-15 07:11:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13608243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overlycompensatedapprentice/pseuds/overlycompensatedapprentice
Summary: This is an Au based off of TGS and Pirates!P.T. Barnum is an infamous pirate who goes on adventures with Pirate Queen Charity, and their little princesses, Caroline and Helen.  grows to care for governor's son Phillip Carlyle- and his definitely-not-girlfriend Anne Wheeler, because she's not in love with him how ridiculous.When Phillip is taken by rival captain Jenny Lind,  Anne will team up with P.T. and his unlikely crew of pirates to try to save him.





	1. Pirates, Secrets, and a Present (Phillip)

**Author's Note:**

> P.O.V. will switch mostly between Phillip and Anne, with some P.T. and Charity because mom and dad!! Also maybe Jenny, haven't decided.

Phillip Carlyle left his house just as the sun went down. He had told his family’s guards that he was simply going for a stroll, to look at the ocean for a while, maybe watch the sun set over the water. That was true, but he didn’t mention where exactly he was going to do that. After all, he would be executed for treason if anyone knew that he was going to spend time in the company of pirates. 

He had met them by accident, wandering down to the docks as a young boy and literally smacking right into Phineas Taylor Barnum, or just P.T., as many knew him, one of the most famous of them all. If P.T. had lived up to the rumors, Phillip would be dead. But P.T. did not live up to the rumors. The “King of Pirates” may have been a liar, a scoundrel, and a thief, but he also had a heart. The way that he looked at his wife, Charity, who he called his “pirate queen,” and their “pirate princesses,” Caroline and Helen, would have told anyone that. He may have started rumors about it, but P.T. Barnum wasn’t the type to harm anyone who didn’t deserve it. All the rumors were pure humbug. 

If anyone had bothered to get to know them, they might even like them. And they had taught Phillip a lot. As the only son of the governor and wealthiest man in town, he was more at risk than the average person from pirates, if they happened to find out who he was, they thought his life might be worth something. It may not have been a huge risk for him, the walls of the city were kept fortified and strong against pirates, at his father’s command, but it was definitely there. 

Phineas had shown him the best places to hide, how to disappear into a crowd. He had taught him the rules, the code that all pirates followed. He had told him what to say and do if he was ever cornered. Phineas looked out for him, and Phillip was grateful. In return, Phillip had used his influence, and a bit of his father’s money, to make sure that the guards and spies around the city left the Barnums in peace. Phillip half wondered if a favor for Phineas wasn’t the only reason he’d done it. 

Phillip’s father was known for being ruthless to pirates. Phillip smirked as he wondered what he would have thought if he had known all his son’s dirty secrets: that there were pirates living within his perfect city, that Phillip associated with them regularly, and that he knew almost everything there was to know about a world that he would never belong to. Doing little things to spite his parents was always something Phillip took pleasure in, especially considering that his parents didn’t give a damn about him. 

Phillip’s thoughts turned to another thing his father would not have been pleased about, as they often did. He thought about his love for one of his father’s maids: Anne Wheeler. 

She was something, Anne. She may have been a maid but she was so much more than that. She was witty, talented, Phillip had seen the way she climbed things, heard the way she sang when she thought no one was listening. Not to mention she was beautiful. Phillip had met her five years ago, at the age of seventeen, and he had been head over heels ever since. He had never acted on his feelings, though. He was almost certain that Anne didn’t share them. Why should she? After all, his family treated her like dirt, this whole damned town treated her like dirt, simply because of the color of her skin. Phillip never had. Even from a young age, he felt like it was simply wrong.

Anne had been wary of him at first, shaking off his attempts at even a friendship, but eventually, she became less cold towards him. Phillip wouldn’t call himself her best friend, but they were friends, he’d even talked her into calling him “Phillip” instead of “Mr. Carlyle.” 

But even if Anne did share his feelings, there were so many obstacles in their way. Phillip almost wished that he could just get on a ship and sail away with Anne, that would make things a whole lot easier. 

But that was crazy. Phillip sighed as the thought he’d had a thousand times before went through his head. He couldn’t just go and ask the Barnums to sail away with him. That would just make a mess, cause problems for everyone. Better to just enjoy the time he had, the fragile bond he’d created with Anne, and the friendships he now had with the pirates. 

He stepped up to the door of the Barnums’ apartment in the slum of the town. They could have moved next door to the governor’s mansion with Phillip’s help, but the slums were by the docks, and that was where they wanted to stat. It was a nice place. One of the nicest on this side of town, but the best part was the laughter he could hear coming from inside, the smell of beer and bread. 

He knocked, and the door swung open almost immediately. P.T. Barnum greeted him with a smile and a hug and moved aside so that the girls could greet him. 

Charity greeted him with a friendly embrace. “Phillip, how wonderful you could make it,” Charity Barnum had always been a charmer, it was what made her such a good pirate. She could simply smile that warm, welcoming smile, and charm almost anyone into giving her exactly what she wanted. Phillip was one of the rare people for which her friendly, almost motherly affection towards him was genuine. 

But out of the Barnum family, the ones who were most vocal about their love for Phillip were the slightly smaller pirates, Caroline and Helen. They ran to greet him, each wrapping an arm around one of his legs. They never failed to make Phillip laugh, and this time was no exception. 

“Hi, girls,” he said with a smile, picking Caroline up and swinging her around so she shrieked with delight. “So, you have to tell me about your latest adventure. I heard it’s quite the story.”

Caroline, Helen, Phineas, and Charity had recently gone on an escapade to God knew where, but upon their return, Phineas had sent Phillip a message saying that he just had to hear about what had happened, with a promise that it would leave Phillip in stitches. 

“It was certainly an interesting time,” Charity said with a laugh. 

Phineas laughed heartily. “Well, we wouldn’t want to disappoint, now would we? Sit down, have a drink.” 

Phillip happily obliged, and a mug of beer was placed on the table in front of him. He took a sip and waited for Phineas to start his story. Helen climbed onto his lap, and he adjusted his position slightly so that he could hold her and drink at the same time. 

“So,” Phineas began. “I’ve told you before about Jenny Lind and how terrible she is.” 

Jenny Lind was a famous pirate captain and P.T. Barnum’s biggest rival. Except, she was much more popular than P.T. was. Her method of pirating was to give most of the money and resources she stole to the poor citizens of the nations. Something that P.T. did not do, in fact, he said that doing so almost didn’t make her a pirate. 

Phillip nodded. Phineas had ranted on and on about Jenny Lind, what a horrible pirate captain she was, that she gave the men of the sea a bad name. From what Phillip could understand from what PT has said, it was a rivalry based on Jenny stealing a mug of Phineas’s beer one time about ten years prior. He’d retaliated by stealing her ship, The Nightingale, before later returning it with rude words scrawled into the hull. She’d retaliated to his retaliation by stealing his ship The Bailey, which Phineas had named after his mother, stranding him on an island for two days, stealing all his alcohol and gold, then beaching his ship on the island. And thus their relationship was summed up. 

If Phillip didn’t know better, he always would have wondered what there was to be scared of. From what he’d heard, it was just a lot of decently nice, slightly alcoholic people stealing each other’s belongings. But he knew that there was more to Jenny Lind than just petty revenge and alcohol thievery. There was a reason many people were so afraid of her. She may have been the poor peoples’ champion, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, but she was truly ruthless in getting what she wanted, and the survivors of the towns she sacked had told chilling horror stories. Phillip had heard them. Even Phineas sometimes spoke of her with a tremor in his voice, even though he tried to hide it. 

He just hoped that she would remain simply the subject of the jokes and stories from far away. Two full-sized pirates and two miniature ones were about all he could handle. As much as he liked Phineas and Charity, he wasn’t too sure that he would be safe around them if they had been any different. And any other pirate would be much, much worse. 

Phillip shook the thought away. It’s not like Jenny Lind was about to march up to his front door. Right now, she was simply a far-off laughingstock.

“So this time, I met her royal ‘Captain’ in a bar on a land where I was hoping I could get a good deal on a new mast, and maybe permanently borrow a few things.” Phineas always used words like ‘liberate’ or ‘borrow,’ Phillip didn’t know why. It made him seem like less of a bad guy, he supposed. “They make masts for merchants’ ships, there, see, and my mast’s been through a lot, and I didn’t want her breaking in the middle of a storm. So, I went in and there she is, sitting and negotiating with the man who was supposed to be waiting for me. So I go up there, and…” 

Phineas regaled Phillip with the tale, with Caroline and Helen cutting in from time to time. The story involved a drinking contest, a lot of yelling, singing, and a spontaneous dance routine. Phillip was, as promised, in stitches by the time it was done. He was laughing so hard that he didn’t notice Charity’s face darken when P.T. mentioned the alcohol. 

“And so he charged me more than he charged her for the mast!” Phineas finished. “All because he thought that her singing was pretty!” 

“Jenny’s singing is not pretty at all,” Caroline said. “She’s so annoying, and such a bad pirate captain.” 

“She sounds like a gopher!” Helen agreed. “And daddy’s a way better Captain.” 

“Now girls,” Charity said, her smile fading a little. “What have I told you about repeating what your father says about Jenny Lind.” 

“I mean, they are right, Chairy,” Phineas said with a chuckle. “She has about the voice that a gopher does if a gopher could sing. Actually, a gopher might have even more musical talent.” 

Phillip laughed even harder, nearly doubled over by this point. He knew that he should take Jenny Lind seriously, but it was hard to when he heard stories like the one Phineas had just told. “That’s your best Jenny Lind story yet.” It took a minute for him to compose himself slightly, though the thought of P.T. Barnum, suave pirate captain, getting into a drunk tap-dance off made that difficult. “I can’t wait for the next one, though I don’t know if you can top that.”

“As long as Jenny is ridiculous,” Phineas said. “I will have stories to tell. She will be ridiculous till the end of her days, so, my boy, there will be plenty of stories to tell till then.” 

“Phin,” Charity frowned as she glanced in Phillip’s direction. She had been laughing while Phineas was telling the story, but now she seemed troubled. “As funny as it might have been, Jenny Lind is not someone to take lightly. She may be irritating and petty, and your rivalry may all be in ‘good fun,’ but she is still dangerous. She’s feared perhaps even more than we are, and for good reason.” 

“Oh, Charity,” Phineas said. “I know, but Jenny isn’t here, and there isn’t a reason in the world that we should be concerned about her.” 

“Oh there isn’t, is there?” Charity’s voice took on a harsher tone. “What about that necklace you took? What if she comes for it?” 

Phineas walked over to a nearby chest, and opened it. He pulled out an unremarkable looking necklace, gold with a bird, presumably a nightingale, for a charm. He looked at it and shrugged. “What about it? It’s just another pretty piece of jewelry. I thought it’d be a nice gift for you. She won’t even notice that it’s gone.” 

“Not if it puts you, or our family in danger,” Charity said with conviction, a little anger in her tone now as she glared at the necklace. “You stole that thing basically right off her neck, she wears it everywhere. I will not keep that. You should just throw that away and pretend this never happened. No necklace is worth that.”

“I’ll take it,” Phillip said. He almost was surprised at himself, that necklace surely came with a lot of danger. But he would rather that danger be focused on him than the Barnums. “Give it to me, I’ll give it to my mother. She’ll love it.” 

 

“Phillip, no,” Charity said. “It’s too dangerous.” 

“Absolutely not,” Phineas agreed. “I won’t have you put yourself at risk, especially not to someone like Jenny.”

“Jenny isn’t here,” Phillip replied calmly. “I’ll take it, get rid of it, I can figure out a way easily, know plenty of people who’d love something like this, and then you’ll be able to sleep easier. Let me do this, then we can just forget about it.” 

Phineas and Charity exchanged looks, looking from Phillip, to the girls, oblivious to what the adults were discussing, then back to Phillip. 

Phineas reluctantly handed him the necklace. “Hide this. Get rid of it tomorrow, do you understand? The less time you have it, the better.” 

Phillip nodded, sliding the necklace into the pocket of his jacket. It was getting late, and if he didn’t go back soon, his family might start asking questions. “I’d better go.” He reluctantly pushed away from the table, and got up to leave. “My parents…” 

Phineas nodded. “Thank you, Phillip,” he said, opening the door to let him out. “Come back tomorrow?”   
“I’d love to,” Phillip replied with a warm smile. 

“Bye, Phillip,” Caroline and Helen chorused, giving him a collaborative hug. 

He tousled each of their hair in turn and gave Charity a reassuring smile. She still looked at the pocket where the necklace was concealed as if Phillip was carrying deadly poison. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

She nodded, and her familiar smile came back, though she still looked troubled. “Of course, goodnight Phillip.” 

He wished her the same, and stepped out into the night, the necklace in his pocket growing heavy. The sooner he got rid of this thing, the better.

Phillip was on his guard on the walk home, more on guard than usual. It was good to watch one’s back when walking the streets alone at night, but tonight was especially important. If someone found that he had Jenny’s necklace on him, and word got back to his father…

Phillip pushed the thought aside as he stepped quietly into the house. He didn’t want to wake anyone, certainly not his parents. It seemed as though the house was asleep.

“Phillip?” came Anne’s soft voice.

Phillip turned and caught her gaze on him. She stood on the staircase with a load of washing in her arms, the moonlight from the window catching her curly brown hair, giving it an almost unearthly glow. 

“Hello,” he replied, trying to sound casual, praying she wouldn’t ask questions. “It’s late, shouldn’t you be asleep,” 

“I’d ask you the same question,” Anne replied. “That was a long walk.” 

Sometimes it seemed that Anne could see right through the facade he put on. 

“I -ah-I had a lot to think about, you know, government and all that, and the ocean seems to help.” 

Well, it wasn’t a complete lie, but Anne didn’t look fooled. She looked at him curiously for a long time, before she turned away to head back up the stairs.

“Goodnight,” Phillip called after her. 

“Goodnight,” came her reply.   
Phillip was about to follow her up the stairs, find a good place to hide the necklace, when he heard the bells begin to ring. Heard the voices crying out. 

Pirates. They said over and over. Pirates were coming.


	2. The Attack: (Phillip)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pirates attack Phillip's city, and he is prepared to do whatever it takes to defend it and Anne: even if it means he doesn't make it out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Phillip rushed to the window, hoping that this was all just a bad dream, that he was already asleep and could wake up tomorrow safe and sound. 

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a dream, and the whole town was in grave danger. 

The pirates were making short work of the walls. The walls his father had been so proud of, were knocked down quickly by the powerful cannon fire. The pirates poured into the city, burning everything in their path, not caring who got caught in the blaze.

So the stories were true. Phillip had half hoped that they were exaggerated, that the pirates would just march up to the door and ask nicely for money, then be on their way. Phillip knew that it was simply foolish to think like that. These were not the Barnums. These were the pirates that killed and harmed and destroyed without mercy, they were the ones who didn’t care what got in their way. 

And they were coming towards the governor’s mansion, burning and pillaging their way up the hill, destroying anything, and anyone in their path. 

Phillip’s thoughts leaped to Anne. He needed to find her. Get her out of here and safe. He could get her to one of the hiding places that P.T. had shown him, and then find some way to stop the damage. 

His hand went to the necklace, still in his pocket. Maybe if he gave this to the pirates, they would leave the town alone. It was a long shot, but he could at least stall long enough for Anne to get away safely. 

He jumped into action immediately. Racing past panicked guards and servants and his parents. People tried to stop him, saying that he needed to get out. To hide like his parents were. Phillip ignored them. His one focus was Anne, where was she? He didn’t see her in the crowds. 

“Anne!” He shouted as he reached the second floor. “Anne, where are you?” 

He searched from room to room, the whole house was practically empty by now, the last members of the household streaming out the door. Still no Anne. 

“Anne!” He called, desperate. He was not leaving this house until he knew that she was safe. 

He raced towards the servants’ quarters in the attic of the mansion, and nearly ran right into her. She stood in the doorway, a small box cradled against her chest. “Anne.” 

“Phillip?” 

“What are you still doing here?” They both demanded at the same time. 

“Phillip, if they catch you you’re dead or worse,” Anne snapped. Phillip was not really sure why she sounded so angry with him, it’s not like there was anything romantic between them, coming back was his choice. “We need to go. Right now.” 

“I didn’t see you leave,” Phillip shot back. “Plus, I’m not going with the crowds. That’d be foolish, a bigger target that way. There’s a spot I know that we can hide, that’s where I’m going. You should come with me. Why are you even still here?” 

“There’s something I had to get,” Anne replied quickly, hugging the little box tighter. “And we’re sitting ducks here too, so if there’s a spot you know then I’m game, lead the way.” 

Phillip led Anne down the steps and crossed through the massive foyer towards the front door. and towards the front door. He could see it now. The lock hadn’t yet been broken, nothing that he could see had been destroyed. Phillip breathed a sigh of relief. The pirates hadn’t gotten here yet, they could make it. They just needed to get outside, then they were home free. 

Something sharp was pressed against Phillip’s neck and he stopped in his tracks. His left arm was seized and pinned behind his back. He took a sharp breath, he had thought that they were safe too soon. 

Half a dozen pirates moved to surround them, making sure there was nowhere to run. They were trapped. 

“I wouldn’t move if I were you,” a voice hissed in his ear. The pirates had made it here after all, they had just been sneaky about it, come through the back door, maybe hoping they’d catch the household by surprise. “Or the other one’s dead. Same goes for you, girl: try to run, we slit his throat.” 

Phillip glanced over at Anne, who was looking at him. She was getting the same treatment he was and her eyes were filled with fear. The pirates were staring at her, looking her up and down, eyes gleaming. Phillip’s nerves leapt. 

He could accept what the pirates might be planning to do with him, but the thought of what they might do to Anne made Phillip’s heart stop, and he almost forgot the words P.T. had taught him to say if he were ever caught by pirates. 

“Idemandaparlay,” he managed to spit out. 

The pirates turned their attention away from Anne and they all fixed their eyes on Phillip. 

“What did you just say?” One demanded. 

“I demand a parlay.” Phillip was calmer this time, he spoke more slowly and clearly, making direct eye contact with the pirates. He couldn’t show them that he was afraid. The first thing that P.T. Barnum had taught him was that pirates respected strength and dignity, even in the face of danger. Phillip did his best to convey that. 

Phillip was spun around to face his captor, the apparent leader of the group. The man wore expensive clothing and had two gold teeth in his mouth. His eyes were beady and set far apart so he looked like he was constantly trying to look in two directions at once. 

He sized up Phillip, wondering where exactly this kid had picked that up. “You don’t seem the type to know that rule. Who are you?” 

“Who I am doesn’t matter,” Phillip replied. If these people found out that they had caught the son of the governor, he would be in a lot of trouble. “I asked for a parlay, and you will honor it, according to the code. I have something that may interest your captain. In return you release her, just take me.” Phillip indicated Anne as best he could. “And leave the town alone.” 

“Phillip,” Anne whispered, struggling against the pirate who held onto her. “What kind of deal are you making?” 

Phillip ignored her for the moment, keeping his eyes fixed on the leader of the group. Anne watched the contest of wills go back and forth, Phillip was determined to win. He had to. 

To Phillip’s immense surprise, the man nodded, and Anne’s captor released her per Phillip’s wishes. He breathed a sigh of relief. At least she would be safe, whatever happened now. Anne looked at the pirates expectantly, as if she waited for them to release him as well, as if the word ‘parlay’ was a magic one that would force the pirates to release them both, but the pirates still held onto Phillip, who didn’t fight. Unlike Anne, he knew the rules. 

“We can let the girl go,” he growled. “Doesn’t look too important, but in regards to the town you’ll have to talk to the captain.” 

“Fine,” Phillip replied. 

“Let’s go!” The pirate yelled to his comrades. They started to drag Phillip away from Anne, back toward the docks. That couldn’t happen, there was more Phillip needed to tell her. 

“Wait!” He burst out. “Can I at least say goodbye to her?” 

The leader rolled his eyes, muttering something about how ridiculous this was, but loosened his hold on Phillip just a little, allowing the pair to move closer to speak. 

Phillip turned to Anne, who had cautiously come close to him. He moved as near to her as he was allowed and lowered his voice so no one but she could hear him. “Listen to me,” he whispered frantically. “Do you know where the path is to get up the mountain?” The mountain he referred to was in the center of the island, about a five minute walk from the house, two if you ran fast enough. Anne nodded. “Good. Go there and get halfway up. There’s a cave you can hide out in, can’t miss it. It’s not going to be comfortable, but you’ll be safe until they’re gone.” 

“What’s going to happen to you?” Anne whispered back. “What’s a parlay?” 

“I need to stop the damage, Anne, but I need to know you’re safe. They don’t hurt me and bring me to whoever their captain is, I have a chance to bargain. But that’s if and only if I go without a fight. That’s the deal, that’s the parlay.” 

“Phillip, no,” Anne pleaded. “They’ll kill you.” 

“This is the only way.” The pirates seemed to be getting impatient with him, waiting for them to finish the conversation so that they could get back to the ship. They were probably afraid that Phillip was just stalling for time so that help could arrive. Phillip knew better. None was coming. He reached out with his free hand and took Anne’s: a gesture she could take however she wanted. “I’m sorry, Anne. I have to do this. Now go.” 

“Aww, how cute,” the pirate leader sneered at him. “Time’s up, loverboy.” 

Anne tried to hold onto him, but Phillip gently pushed her away, and she stumbled into the shadows, in the direction Phillip had told her to run. He only hoped she kept going. That done, Phillip didn’t resist as the pirates roughly pulled him out the door, and outside. 

By the large tree outside the door, the pirates stopped. Phillip was confused, very confused. 

One of the pirates, the drunkest of the lot, took his bottle and dumped it on the baseboards of the mansion. Phillip realized what he was doing a split second too late. “No!” 

But the pirate had already lit the fuse, the alcohol making the fire race up the building like it had somewhere important to be. Phillip couldn’t care less about the house: his parents certainly had the money to rebuild it, they had the money to rebuild it ten times over and more. What he cared about was that Anne might still have been in there.

Phillip forgot the rules, forgot his agreement. He fought with all his might to get into that house, to run into the flames to see if Anne was alright. He shouted and yelled for her, praying that he might get a far-off reply, but there was nothing. He was yanked back instantly by half a dozen hands, one of which flew into the back of his head. He winced. 

“You’re forgetting the rules,” one of the pirates, presumably the one who had hit him, chided him. “If you want to save this town or your little serving girl you’ll keep your mouth shut.” 

Phillip stopped fighting, trying to keep the tears forming in his eyes back. He had failed. There was nothing he could do for Anne now. She had either made it out herself or it was too late. 

They kept moving towards the ship, and Phillip began to lose hope as the governor’s mansion burned behind him. 

They made it down to the docks with no trouble, the townspeople too frightened of the pirates to do much. Those that did try to fight, or even tried to get in the way, were cut down without mercy. 

Phillip wished he could tell them all to stop: that he wasn’t important enough to warrant the death of anybody, much less people who barely knew him at all. After all, his hero act wasn’t getting him too far. It may have even cost him Anne forever. 

He wondered if he should have just let the pirates take them both, at least that way he could have protected her, made sure she was safe. But he pushed the thought aside. A rich young man in the hands of a pirate was bad enough, but a young woman didn’t stand a chance, if the stories held true, which he was sure they did. He still felt immensely guilty: if she was dead it was his fault. 

He was startled from his thoughts when the pirates stopped abruptly. Phillip looked up, they stood on the old wooden docks near the Barnums’ place. He hoped that they were alright. 

He scrutinized the ship looming over him, and what he saw in the torchlight made his heart leap and sink at the same time. The ship he was about to board was the Nightingale: the ship of Captain Jenny Lind, the owner of the necklace in Phillip’s pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case y'all dont know i have a tumblr.com acc!!!!!! 
> 
> I post memes! and more fanfic!!!!!
> 
> its overlycompensatedapprentice if you want to follow it! I also take prompts that I will write eventually i swear


	3. Captain Jenny Lind (Phillip)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phillip comes face-to-face with Captain Jenny Lind, but his attempt to bargain doesn't quite go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing from either of these movies except for the plot! 
> 
> Enjoy!

As Phillip was forced up the gangplank, he noted several of the things that Phineas had told him about. The Nightingale masthead, featuring a grotesque depiction of the bird devouring what looked like a shark, the brand new looking mast, the way the deck was worn and slanted slightly. He even could see traces of the not-so-nice words that had been scratched into the deck of the ship courtesy of Phineas all those years ago, that the pirates had obviously tried so diligently to hide.

But he wasn’t really thinking about where he was, or his surroundings, he was still looking back at his house on the hill. It was still burning, the ashes and smoke making the mountain behind look like an active volcano. Phillip was sure that it could be seen for miles around, a beacon of despair.

God, he hoped Anne had made it.

“Keep moving!” A voice snapped behind him, shoving him at last onto the deck of the ship.

Phillip finally turned his head away from the smoke rising in the distance. It was all too much. The fact that he was doing this, the fact that he had gone here willingly to a captain who might well cut his throat for having the necklace, the fact that his attempt to be a hero hadn’t even allowed him to save the woman he loved.

It was all too much.

Phillip closed his eyes for a moment, hoping just to block it all out. He heard the pirates’ laughter at his almost childish behavior, but it helped him regain some of the resolve that had gotten him this far.

He lifted his head with a new kind of determination. If he was going to die, at least he would die defending his hometown and the people he loved. And if Anne was gone already, then death would be kinder anyway.

He didn’t even notice that the pirates surrounding him had stopped. He stumbled right into one of them, earning him a dirty look. The pirates all seemed to be looking to the upper part of the deck, where the wheel of the ship was located. Phillip looked with them and the beat of the world seemed to stop.

When Jenny Lind came down the stairs, all of Phillip’s reestablished bravado began to waver again. Captain Lind was one of the most intimidating people he’d ever seen, and she hadn’t even opened her mouth yet. Jenny had long, red hair that swept over her back, curing at the ends, tucked underneath a three-pointed pirate captain’s hat like the one P.T. wore. She wore a long coat-dress of a deep purple shade, unusual for a pirate captain, and something P.T. had joked about to no end, but looking at it only made Phillip fear her more.

Phillip was shoved forward as the pirates circled around them, obviously excited to watch the fun. He thought a dose of the bravery that he’d had standing up to the pirates previously would be nice, but he could barely keep his hands from shaking as he looked her in the eye.

The Captain looked at him with cold blue eyes. “What’s all this about?” She snapped at her fellow pirates. “You know my rules about prisoners.”

“He demanded a parlay, Captain,” one of them said. “Wouldn’t let us refuse him.”

Captain Lind studied Phillip again, with a new appraisal. He looked away, back towards the city, back towards Anne. “Where did you find him? Doesn’t look like a street rat, or a pirate.”

“We found him in the governor’s mansion, trying to run with a serving girl,” one of the men said, roughly grabbing Phillip by the collar, forcing his head up to meet Jenny Lind’s eyes. “Didn’t come till we let her go.”

“And you didn’t abide by it!” Phillip burst out. “You burned the goddamned house down!”

The pirates that surrounded them surged forward in anger, yelling things Phillip couldn’t understand. Phillip was sure they would kill him for saying something so sharp out of line, but a look from their captain quieted them instantly.

“Who are you?” She said to Phillip.

Her voice had almost a kinder tone when she was addressing him, which Phillip took as an attempt for him to let his guard down. It didn’t work. He could barely register her words and it took him a moment to realize she’d asked him a question.

“I’m...no one really, Captain,” he attempted to sound casual, keep his voice from shaking and give away his lie. “I’m just, just a friend of the serving girl, Anne.” His voice shook a bit when he said her name.

There was a silence for a moment while the woman took that in. Then she threw back her head and started to laugh hysterically.

Phillip was confused. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing,” Jenny Lind’s laugh turned colder, harsher, then it stopped altogether. “I just find it funny that you think you can lie to me. It’s almost adorable, really.”

Phillip flinched. “I’m not lying.”

Jenny took two steps closer to him. “The expensive clothes, the way you stand up straight, like you have a little bit of self respect. The look on your face. I’m not naive, boy. You aren’t simply nobody. Also, I do read the newspapers on occasion, and half the time your face is plastered on them. Yours, or your father’s.”

Phillip’s heart sank to the deck of the ship. He was a fool. He should have known that the pirate captain would have seen his face somewhere. It was always big news whenever the Carlyle family practically did anything. It had been a foolish mistake to make, but it was too late to do anything but mentally slap himself. But he reminded himself that he had one last card to play, one that just might save him.

“I must say, I admire your courage,” Jenny went on. “Never thought a governor’s brat would fall into my hands, much less willingly. Have to admit I respect that.”

“But you came to bargain, Phillip Carlyle, and so what do you want? And more importantly, what do I get in return?”

“Spoken like a true pirate,” Phillip said, trying to keep his voice steady. “What I want…”

_I still have the necklace, I still have the necklace._ He told himself.

“What I want is for you to leave this town alone and never return.” He closed his fist around the necklace in his pocket, and it gave him courage. This had to work. “And as for what you get in return.” He opened his hand, the golden necklace gleaming in the light of the burning city behind him. “I believe this belongs to you.”

Jenny lunged for the necklace but Phillip closed his hand around it. “I don’t give you a thing if you don’t swear to leave this town alone.” “Where did you get that?” Jenny snarled at him, grabbing his wrist and trying to pry his fingers open. “That could only have come from one man, and you would have no connection to him…”

“I bought it!” Phillip blurted out. “From someone who said that it had been given to them by P.T. Barnum himself. That’s who you gave it to, right? Or who took it? Captain Barnum?”

Jenny studied his face. Phillip could tell she didn’t believe him, but to his surprise she released her hold and took a step back. “That’s correct,” she said. “And your terms certainly are reasonable. Very well, I give you my word that we will leave this town and never return.”

Phillip opened his hand once more and Jenny snatched the necklace from his fingers. She didn’t put it on, didn’t do anything with it, just held it in her clenched fist before sliding it into a pocket.

She nodded to the members of her crew, and they began shouting orders at one another, getting ready to set sail. Phillip’s heart raced. There were no orders being shouted as to what to do with him. Were they going to kill him? Let him go? He cautiously moved over to the side of the ship, wondering if he jumped from here into the water, he could make it.

“Captain,” the first mate yanked Phillip back from the railing. “What do you want us to do with him?”

Jenny studied Phillip, clearly weighing the options. “We’ll take him with us, this could be very beneficial.”

Phillip began to stutter a protest but Jenny shut him up with one look. “Our agreement was that we would leave this town and never return. There was nothing stating that we couldn’t take you with us.” She put a finger under his chin, as if imagining a knife there. “And besides, I’d be willing to bet your life is worth a pretty price.”

She dismissed them with a wave of her hand, not sparing him another glance, and half a dozen hands roughly grabbed him, dragging him belowdecks and into the darkness below. 

Phillip ended up in a dark room, small and cold. The door slammed shut behind him and the locks clicked.

Phillip rattled the door, he pounded on it, kicked at it, yelling in frustration. Did whatever he could think of to break it open. All he accomplished was hurting his ankle. At last, he just sank down against the door, shaking. A new feeling had replaced the bravado, the guilt, and the fear. It was worse than the guilt and fear combined. It was hopelessness. Phillip just sat against the door in despair: he was going to die. He knew that his parents wouldn’t pay whatever ransom Jenny asked for, he knew that Anne was dead, or had been caught by other pirates. Even if she hadn’t, she didn’t know he was alive and certainly wouldn’t come running to his aid. And the Barnums had more important things to worry about. For a moment, he imagined Helen or Caroline in this dark, cold place, and Phillip was glad it was him on this ship rather than them.

Phillip’s thoughts wandered back to Anne as he shivered in the cold dark. Even as he was sailing towards his death, he hoped to god that she was okay. He only wished that he could see her one last time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a tumblr! 
> 
> Where you can find more fanfic! and spicy tgs memes! and my general sobbing about this movie! 
> 
> it's overlycompensatedapprentice if ya wanna go hang out there


	4. A Realization, A Plan, A Revised Plan, and More Pirates (Anne)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If there is one thing Anne Wheeler is not doing, it's letting Phillip die. Even if it means she has to risk her own life.

As Anne Wheeler ran, she didn’t let her feelings catch up with her. She just had to get out of there and find someone who could help her. Help him. 

For a split second, she glanced back, not stopping, looking for Phillip in the small crowd now surrounding him, but it was thick, all of them focused on what must have been Phillip in the center. She could only see traces of his white shirt as they pulled him away.  
She was almost tempted to snap at them. If they carried on like this, they would hurt him, but a statement like that would most likely get her a knife to her chest. Or to Phillip’s. Or both. 

She kept running, clutching the simple wooden box, the whole reason she came back to the place, to her chest. Thank god it was light. 

The box was full of letters, letters from her older brother, W.D. 

He had been here with Anne since they were children, since right after their mother had died of sickness, and Anne had taken the job working for the Carlyles. He had sworn to her that this would not be the life they lived, and so he had left to find a better life for them. Those letters he sent were the highlight of Anne’s day. Then, they stopped coming. 

Seemed like Anne couldn’t hold on to someone she cared for. Nasty habit. 

Anne was startled from her thoughts when she heard Phillip cry out her name, then again, then halfway through a third time, he was silenced. She began to worry for him again, although she tried not to, what had they done to him to shut him up? That’s when she smelled the smoke. 

The fire was all around her in a matter of seconds, most of the expensive wooden pieces of furniture catching immediately, making it a very dangerous place for Anne to be. She was running to the back door, there was no way that she was going to prance right back into the hands of the pirates, but hearing Phillip call almost made her turn and run straight to him. 

But now she had to get out the back. She couldn’t help Phillip if she was dead. She couldn’t let her feelings get to her. At least not yet. 

Anne started to run, dodging timbers falling and debris every which way. In that moment, she thanked her lucky stars that she had always been nimble and quick on her feet. The absurd amount of climbing trees and then swinging from them probably helped with that. 

Her one focus was getting out that door. She couldn’t see a thing through the smoke but she knew that she was almost there. 

A beam fell toward her, silent and deadly, and while Anne increased her speed, she wasn’t fast enough and the beam caught the back of her leg as she ran, leaving what she knew would be a nasty burn. 

Her leg screamed in pain as she fled the house, still clutching the box to her chest. Part of her wanted to lie down and just take a nap, her leg certainly wanted to, but Anne kept running. Not to the mountain hideout, as Phillip had told her to do, but toward the docks where he had been taken.

She shoved through screaming crowds and dodged stray animals, guards, anyone who might get in her way as she ran towards the docks. She had to stop them, kill them, do something. Whenever she passed one of the town’s soldiers, she would yell to them as she passed, but they never seemed to hear her. Anne knew it was unwise to go alone, but she never even slowed down. She only hoped she wasn’t too late.

While the entire city was in chaos, with noises of all kinds going every which way, the dock was eerily silent. No ships. No pirates. No Phillip. She was too late. 

That’s when Anne’s leg gave out and she collapsed on the dock in despair. She had done a pretty good job of not letting her head catch up with her feet so far, but now that she was here all alone on the dock, they crashed into her like the waves on the beach nearby, overwhelming her. 

Phillip was gone. He was dead, or in the hands of the pirates, or god knew where, but he wasn’t here. He had sacrificed himself, given himself up, for her. 

Anne thought of him, thought about the way he had been kind to her, kind to everyone, when no one else was. She thought about the way his eyes matched the color of the ocean a clear day, how he looked when the rare smile flitted across his face.

Anne wondered about what might have been happening to him. Was he cold? Hurt? Scared? All three?

As Anne thought about all that, she realized something. She did not want to have to spend the rest of her days without him. They would never be able to be together, of course, but she just wanted him here, and safe. She would never be able to live with herself if god forbid…

A noise shook her out of her thoughts. The sounds of feet getting on the dock that had been silent up until then. Anne looked up and saw one of the pirates who had captured them in the house. 

Anne slowly got to her feet, thinking about all of the fun ways that she could get this guy to tell her exactly where Phillip was. He saw the look on her face, and took off in a dead run, toward the fortress where Phillip’s parents were hiding out. 

Anne took off after him, her leg slowing her down and screaming with pain but she was determined to catch the intruder before anybody else got hurt. The funny thing was, the pirate never even looked at the locals still strewn about on the streets, he simply pushed past them. The guards were too preoccupied with helping with cleanup to do anything, and Anne ignored them this time, too. It was obvious that they would be no help to her. 

The pirate made it to the entrance of the fort and Anne picked up her speed, however much her leg protested. She had to get into that fort. If the man was going there, he was going to see Phillip’s parents, and Anne wanted in on the conversation. And maybe to commit some light murder along the way. 

All of the sensible fear she should have been feeling was numb, at least the fear for herself. The fear for Phillip was still strong, and it was all that was keeping her on her feet. 

The pirate had a hasty conversation with the guards at the door, who, somewhat reluctantly opened it. Anne sprinted towards it and reached the doors just before they closed.

She stuck her good foot in the door as it closed, to the surprise of all three people inside. 

The pirate was being held at swordpoint, but he was grinning like a child on his birthday. There was a sick twist in Anne’s stomach. He was enjoying all this. 

“Miss. Wheeler?” One of the guards who she knew vaguely asked. “Everyone thought you were dead. Where were you?” 

“I need to see the governor and governess,” Anne insisted, saying nothing else. 

“Oh how exciting, so do I,” The pirate piped up, sneering at the look on Anne’s face. It was clear he recognized her. Anne was about ready to punch the smirk right off when she was interrupted. 

“Alright, alright,” the guard said. “Come in, but be quick about it, can’t have any more pirates.”

Anne knew that there were no more pirates, that they had taken Phillip somewhere, but she said nothing for the moment. 

They were led to the elaborate chamber where the governor and governess, Phillip’s parents, were staying. For a hideout from intruders, it was elaborate and beautiful, and Anne felt a spike of anger that they were doing nothing but sit here while people suffered on the streets outside. There was enough room in here to fit half the town.

The Carlyles both drew in sharp breaths as the pirate was brought in, the guards following after. Anne brought up the rear, sliding into a corner and staying silent. She was eager to hear any information the pirate had, and she wasn’t going to compromise her chances by opening her mouth. She still had enough wit left to do that.

The pirate made a mock bow at the governor. “Governor Carlyle, I wish I could say I was here under less grave circumstances. But I’m afraid I’m here on behalf of my captain.” 

Anne drew in a sharp breath, leaning in close to catch every word he said.  
The pirate drew something from his pocket and the guards tensed for a moment, then relaxed when they saw it was only a piece of paper. A note. 

He handed it to Governor Carlyle with a flourish worthy of P.T. Barnum himself, if the stories rang true. “If you want to see your son alive again you’ll do what that says.”

It took all of Anne’s self control not to scream. She wasn’t sure what scared her more: the note that said that Jenny had Phillip, or the fact that, judging by the looks on the faces of the Carlyles, they didn’t seem to care. It was no secret, especially to Anne, that Phillip’s parents cared a lot more about their station and their money than their son, but seeing it here, now, was even worse. 

“That will be all,” the pirate said. “I will show myself out.” 

Of course, he did not do that. The guards showed him out. To the gallows. 

Anne took a deep breath and didn’t leave her shadowy corner as the Carlyles appraised the note. Then, Governor Carlyle took the note, folded it up neatly, and subsequently dropped it on the ground. 

Anne had been planning to ask them to help save him. It appeared they weren’t interested. 

“We need to go asses the damage,” he told his wife. “I’m sure there is a lot that needs fixing, and the house as well. We can only save so much.” 

They swept out of the room without so much as looking at Anne, which, sadly, she was used to by now. 

They left her alone in the room with the fancy furniture, the expensive paintings, and the ransom note that, if they had just cared a little more, could have saved Phillip. 

Anne walked over and picked it up. As she had suspected, Captain Lind wanted ransom for Phillip’s life. She had told them to meet at specific coordinates to exchange the ransom for the prisoner.

40° North, 68° West. 

That was in the middle of the ocean somewhere, and it seemed the Carlyles weren’t going to help her one bit to save their own son. So she was going to have to do it herself. 

With the help of P.T. Barnum, the only person in this godforsaken place who might help her, and it was a pirate. 

Anne only hoped that she remembered the way to his house. And that he wouldn't kill her on sight. 

She only hoped that when she had seen Phillip at their dinner table, it had been out of love, and not necessity, that they invited him


	5. Meet The Barnums (Anne)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Anne goes to seek the help of P.T. Barnum. The last thing she thought she'd ever be doing.
> 
> Luckily, she remembers the way to his house

Anne moved more slowly along the streets this time. Her leg was really starting to kill her, and she wasn’t going to be doing Phillip any favors by keeling over on the spot from pain. 

She closed her eyes at each turn, trying to remember the way. She had only been there once before, but luckily it had been recently enough for her to remember the way, at least roughly.

She had followed him there a few months prior, Phillip. She had never bought the whole ‘I’m just going for a walk’ story. He’d had no idea she was following, even though she could tell he tried to be careful. His parents and most others didn’t know him enough to tell when he was lying, but Anne could. She had always been able to see it in the way his eyebrows raised and his left hand twitched slightly. It was almost like he was challenging the world not to believe him. 

Anne hadn’t. She had slipped out after him one day and followed him to the exact place she was trying to find again. She had peeked through the window of the higher end apartment and been stunned when none other than P.T. Barnum answered Phillip’s knock. What was Phillip doing there? And with P.T. Barnum, one of the most notorious pirates on the seven seas, no less. Was he truly betraying his family? Was he making some kind of deal? 

She had hidden back when Barnum had glanced her way, then come over to close the blinds. Luckily for Anne, he didn’t close them all the way, so she was able to peek through at was perhaps the most heartwarming thing Anne could imagine. 

Phillip sat in a chair near the fire that crackled cheerfully in a fireplace, a worn-looking wooden mug in his hand, conversing with a kind-looking blonde woman, who Anne assumed was Barnum’s wife. Anne had known he was married, but she’d always thought that she’d be rough, with missing teeth and wild eyes. The stereotypical pirate. This woman had looked like she belonged to the same social class as Phillip. Two young girls who had looked shockingly like Barnum and his wife ran through a doorway and leaped into Phillip’s lap. He had caught them, settling one girl on each knee, and the smile on his face was bigger than any Anne had ever seen. 

Anne watched them for a few more minutes, taking in the cozy scene before her before reluctantly leaving the window. She didn’t want to expose the fact that she was taking time off without permission, or to unwittingly give away Phillip’s secret. 

Anne just prayed that when Phillip had gone out on his ‘walk’ he was actually going there, that they still looked at him with the same kindness. She prayed that P.T. Barnum cared about Phillip Carlyle enough to help save him. 

As Anne stepped up to what she thought, what she hoped, was the right door, she hesitated. What if Barnum stabbed her on the spot? What if he had left town? What if he didn’t care about Phillip anymore and slammed the door in her face? What if he had arranged for Phillip to be taken? The troubling thing was, that last thought made sense. If P.T. Barnum was still here, he could have easily taken Phillip, disguised as Jenny Lind, hoping to bribe ransom out of Phillip’s parents.

Anne shook her head as hard as she could, trying to rid herself of the thought, as much sense as it did make. If Barnum didn’t help her it was hopeless. Phillip would die in the hands of pirates, and Anne could not allow that to happen. She drew a sharp breath and rapped firmly on the door.

Nothing.

She banged on the door again, harder this time. “Is someone here?”

The door abruptly flew open and Anne was met by the scowling face of P.T. Barnum, glowering down at her. He held a long knife, and was looking around wildly after he saw Anne.

“Who are you?” He demanded. 

“I-uh,” Anne stammered.

“You better hurry up the explanation.” Barnum’s voice was cold, but there was an underlying fear in it, a worry. 

“I’m Anne Wheeler and I need your help!” Anne said quickly. “You know Phillip Carlyle, right?” 

“And what do you care if I do?” 

“Please,” Anne begged. “The pirates that attacked last night...Captain Jenny Lind’s, I think….they…. took Phillip and nobody will help me and I have to get him back!” 

Barnum’s face changed instantly, the anger fading from it, leaving only the worry. “I think you should come inside.” 

He stepped aside so that Anne could enter, and he shut and locked the door behind her. 

“Sit,” he said. His tone was kinder, but still had an edge. Anne took a seat in one of the oaken dining chairs that she had seen Phillip use. After he had made sure the door and blinds were closed, he turned his head to the next room. “Charity!” 

The blonde woman, who was indeed P.T.’s wife, came in the door. “What is it, Phin? Is Phillip here?” 

Seeing Anne, her face darkened a little. “Who are you?” 

“Anne Wheeler, this is my wife, Charity, Charity, this is Anne,” P.T. said impatiently. 

“What are you doing here, Anne?” Charity asked, her tone gentler than P.T.’s had been. “Not many people are brave enough to seek us out.” 

“I’m here because the pirates from last night kidnapped Phillip.” Anne held the note out for Barnum and Charity to see. “One of the pirates came this morning with this. Gave it to Phillip’s parents who couldn’t be bothered to even read it, so I came here in hopes that you would help.” 

She quickly recounted the story at P.T.'s request, and his face grew darker with every word she said. 

P.T. took the note from her and pored over it, with Charity reading over his shoulder.

After he was done reading, P.T. set the note down and lay his head in his hands. “This is my fault. I should never have given him the…” 

“So, Captain Lind took Phillip.” Charity’s voice took on a strange edge of anger, as if she were accusing her husband of something. “Is it possible to get there in four days' time?” 

They had four days to pay, or Phillip would be killed. That was what the note said. 

“Jenny took Phillip?” A small voice came from the doorway. A little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes was standing there, and she ran to her mother. Another girl, with brown hair this time, followed just behind, and the Barnums each picked up one, and tried to reassure her. 

The questions that tumbled from the lips of P.T. Barnum’s teary-eyed daughters made Anne want to start sobbing, but she had to stay strong. 

“Captain Jenny took Phillip?”

“Is she gonna hurt him?” 

“What’re we gonna do?” 

“We’re gonna help him, right?” The last one was from the little blonde girl who had come in first. 

“Oh, Helen, of course we are,” P.T. let down his brown-haired daughter and picked Helen up. “Of course we are. We’re not just gonna leave him.”   
Anne breathed a sigh of relief. “So, you’ll help? Oh, and by the way, I’m coming too.” 

P.T. shrugged. “I figured you wouldn’t leave saving him to anyone else but yourself. But we can’t do it alone, we’re vastly outnumbered.”

“Are we gonna go get the crew, daddy?” The brown haired girl asked.

“Anne and I are gonna go get the crew, Caroline. You two and your mother are gonna stay here where it’s safe-” 

“Nope.” Charity walked around the dinner table and picked up Caroline from where she stood. “We’re all going. If you think that I’m sitting this one out you’re wrong.” 

“Charity, it’s dangerous, the girls-” 

“Are no safer here than on our ship,” Charity cut him off calmly. “They’ll have the crew to protect them, and I want to see Phillip safe as much as you and Miss Anne here do. So I’m going, and that is final.” 

Barnum didn’t press the argument farther. He knew when he was beaten. 

“Alright then, let’s go pick up my little crew of misfits and get this show on the road.” P.T. turned to Anne. “Did you say your last name was Wheeler?” 

Anne nodded. “Why?” 

“Oh, no reason,” P.T. said, trying to sound nonchalant but obviously thinking. He picked up the note and tucked it into a pocket. “Let’s go. The longer Jenny has Phillip the worse it’ll be. We don't have much time.”


End file.
